Urine| Hair Follicle | Oral Fluid | Blood | ETG
Hair analysis has acquired recognition as an effective means for identifying usage of drugs and alcohol. Hair captures a prolonged record of alcohol and drug presence by embedding biomarkers in the structure of the growing strands. When taken from close proximity to the scalp, hair can reveal up to a roughly 3-month period for detecting alcohol and drugs. Hair is straightforward to obtain, fairly challenging to tamper with, and convenient to transport.
A sample measuring 1.5 inches with approximately 200 hair strands (comparable to the width of a #2 pencil) nearest to the scalp will yield 100mg of hair, which is the optimal quantity for analysis and confirmation. In cases involving EtG, additional tests, and/or those exceeding 10 panels, 150mg of the sample is advised. It is advisable to weigh the sample using a jeweler’s scale. If scalp hair cannot be sourced, a similar volume of body hair can be gathered. 'Head hair' refers strictly to scalp hair. 'Body hair' includes all other types (facial, axillary, and so on).
Process Overview
The four primary phases in the laboratory evaluation of a drug test result comprise Accessioning, Screening, Extraction, and Confirmation.
Accessioning pertains to the introductory handling of a sample within a laboratory’s system. This covers confirming the sample was sealed and dispatched appropriately, assigning a unique LAN (Laboratory Accessioning Number), and completing any missing data entry that is not managed by an electronic chain of custody system.
Screening serves as an initial rapid assessment for illicit drugs. Even though Screening is a cost-efficient method to discount drug use in most samples, a positive screen must be verified for court acceptance. Any samples that test positive in the Screening stage need a follow-up confirmation.
Should a sample test positively in the Screening phase, additional hair is sourced from the original specimen and prepared for Extraction. In this phase, drugs are separated from hair at lower concentrations compared to other processes (for example, urine or saliva), making hair drug testing a more complex process.
Confirming any positive screening result is done through GC/MS, GC/MS/MS, or LC/MS/MS. All samples testing positive are cleansed before confirmation, if necessary. The complete laboratory protocol from Accessioning to Confirmation is evaluated both under the CAP (College of American Pathologists) Hair classification and the ISO / IEC 17025 accreditation standards.
Advantages of hair drug testing:
Limitations:
Note: Although often called "hair follicle tests", this test examines the hair strand and not the root under the scalp
Why Hair Follicle Testing Beats Urine Testing in Sulphur Springs, OH
Extended Detection Window in Sulphur Springs, OH
Tamper-Resistant Testing Method in Sulphur Springs, OH
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